FG To Shut Down Open Drugs Markets To Control Fake Drugs In 2017

The Federal Government has concluded the review of a national drug policy that will in turn lead to the complete shutting down of the open drug markets in the country by year 2017 to check the menace of fake drugs.

The Registrar/Chief Executive, Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, Mr. Elijah Mohammed, stated this in an interview with Saturday Punch, on the sidelines of his end of year media chat with journalists in Abuja. He said the review was carried through the Federal Ministry of Health.

He also announced the withdrawal of the practicing licences of three certified pharmacists and said over 30 members are being investigated over alleged breach of professional code of conduct. Continue...

“The checklist for Patent and Proprietary Medicine Shops and Coordinated Wholesales Centres have been well established and quality control mechanisms have been put in place.

“Those in the open market are definitely going to be relocated, a two-year period term has been put in place for construction of such facilities that will house PCN, NAFDAC, the police and other related organisations and once those facilities are put in place, definitely the open drug market will be closed down and we have discussed this with stakeholders and they have all agreed on the timeframe.

“Let me assure Nigerians that in two years’ time, the idea of open drug market would be a thing of the past. When they are relocated to the CWC, they will be highly regulated and any product coming in must be certified by the PCN. So wherever there are open drugs will be shut down, because that is the bedrock of most of the fake drugs we have in this country,” Elijah Mohammed said.